Staff Reviews
Escape Mediocrity - Explore Excursion
Summer is coming to a close. Maybe it’s a bit early to be thinking about, but it’s true. It’s a bummer, too, but it does mean one thing is right around the corner: the return of Sunday night games, and Fantasy Football. As I write this we’re one week away from the CI Office Draft, and if you look closely at anyone’s browser, you’ll probably see an ESPN tab hidden in there somewhere. You can get a ton of draft advice, but, inevitably, the topic always comes back to sleepers — what player is no one paying attention to, that they should be.
There’s no fantasy cigar leagues that I know of (although if there were, I’d go ????? in the first round), but with the truckloads of awesome brands that exist right now, there are certainly some sleepers in the cigar world. Handmades that get unnoticed, while the same old stuff goes off the shelves. Which is a roundabout way of getting to our review cigar today: Latitude Zero Excursion.
I can be a bit wordy, so if you’re looking for a short, sweet review, I’ll sum it up for you as best I can. Latitude Zero has been an awesome brand since Day 1 that they were introduced, and in my humble opinion, Excursion is their best cigar yet. By a landslide. It’s a rich, powerful experience that has me seriously considering picking up two or three pouches on my next order. Not only is this easily one of the best cigars I’ve smoked this year, it’s one of the best Maduros I’ve smoked in quite some time. Do yourself a favor, and stock up now, because I can’t even imagine how these will taste with some age on them.
If your attention span is short, click that Add to Cart button, and we’re done here. If you want some more information, let’s keep going.
So who makes Latitude Zero Excursion anyway? Oliva Tobacco Company. No, no, no, not that Oliva of V and Melanio fame. Oliva Tobacco Company is a provider of tobaccos for huge, ultra-premium brands like Davidoff, Ashton, and Montecristo. They’ve been one of the largest tobacco growers for over eight decades now, and were the creators of Ecuadorian Habano wrappers. In short, they know how to make a quality leaf, and they know it well. You may not know the name, but familiarize yourself with it now. If Ashton and Drew Estate are the A-list celebrities of each cigar blockbuster, Oliva Tobacco Company is the producer pulling all the strings and putting the wins together behind the scenes.
The blend is simple, on paper. We’ve got an oily, dark Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper (more on that in a second) over top a bed of handpicked Nicaraguan and Honduran long-fillers. This isn’t just any Broadleaf wrapper, though. It’s been specially fermented and left to age twice as long as industry standard. That extra aging time provides a glistening, brown chocolate bar colored wrapper that has some serious flavor to it. It also takes a bit of the edge off: while some Nicaraguan, Connecticut Broadleaf wrapped cigars boast tons of strength and spice, this one goes for a more balanced, medium to full-bodied approach.
That chocolate bar appearance comes over to the taste. There’s certainly some strength here, but the profile is, as a whole, smooth as silk. Rich and chocolatey, with a nice bitter espresso finish and a bit of natural tobacco flavor in the background. It’s not quite “creamy”, but it’s insanely easy to take this one down to the nub. You could singe your fingertips on this one, and it won’t get harsh. And I’m speaking from experience there.
Remember when I said earlier that I tend to be really wordy? I wasn’t lying. Let’s get this wrapped up. If you enjoy Perdomo Champagne Noir, La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor, CAO Flathead, or, dare I say it, Liga Privada No. 9, this one should be an absolute no-brainer. As a matter of fact, if you like maduros at all, you better try this ASAP. I don’t get paid by the word, so I’m going to cut this review to a close. There’s about two inches left of the Latitude Zero Excursion Toro I’m enjoying now, and I’d like to finish it with no distractions.
There’s no fantasy cigar leagues that I know of (although if there were, I’d go ????? in the first round), but with the truckloads of awesome brands that exist right now, there are certainly some sleepers in the cigar world. Handmades that get unnoticed, while the same old stuff goes off the shelves. Which is a roundabout way of getting to our review cigar today: Latitude Zero Excursion.
I can be a bit wordy, so if you’re looking for a short, sweet review, I’ll sum it up for you as best I can. Latitude Zero has been an awesome brand since Day 1 that they were introduced, and in my humble opinion, Excursion is their best cigar yet. By a landslide. It’s a rich, powerful experience that has me seriously considering picking up two or three pouches on my next order. Not only is this easily one of the best cigars I’ve smoked this year, it’s one of the best Maduros I’ve smoked in quite some time. Do yourself a favor, and stock up now, because I can’t even imagine how these will taste with some age on them.
If your attention span is short, click that Add to Cart button, and we’re done here. If you want some more information, let’s keep going.
So who makes Latitude Zero Excursion anyway? Oliva Tobacco Company. No, no, no, not that Oliva of V and Melanio fame. Oliva Tobacco Company is a provider of tobaccos for huge, ultra-premium brands like Davidoff, Ashton, and Montecristo. They’ve been one of the largest tobacco growers for over eight decades now, and were the creators of Ecuadorian Habano wrappers. In short, they know how to make a quality leaf, and they know it well. You may not know the name, but familiarize yourself with it now. If Ashton and Drew Estate are the A-list celebrities of each cigar blockbuster, Oliva Tobacco Company is the producer pulling all the strings and putting the wins together behind the scenes.
The blend is simple, on paper. We’ve got an oily, dark Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper (more on that in a second) over top a bed of handpicked Nicaraguan and Honduran long-fillers. This isn’t just any Broadleaf wrapper, though. It’s been specially fermented and left to age twice as long as industry standard. That extra aging time provides a glistening, brown chocolate bar colored wrapper that has some serious flavor to it. It also takes a bit of the edge off: while some Nicaraguan, Connecticut Broadleaf wrapped cigars boast tons of strength and spice, this one goes for a more balanced, medium to full-bodied approach.
That chocolate bar appearance comes over to the taste. There’s certainly some strength here, but the profile is, as a whole, smooth as silk. Rich and chocolatey, with a nice bitter espresso finish and a bit of natural tobacco flavor in the background. It’s not quite “creamy”, but it’s insanely easy to take this one down to the nub. You could singe your fingertips on this one, and it won’t get harsh. And I’m speaking from experience there.
Remember when I said earlier that I tend to be really wordy? I wasn’t lying. Let’s get this wrapped up. If you enjoy Perdomo Champagne Noir, La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor, CAO Flathead, or, dare I say it, Liga Privada No. 9, this one should be an absolute no-brainer. As a matter of fact, if you like maduros at all, you better try this ASAP. I don’t get paid by the word, so I’m going to cut this review to a close. There’s about two inches left of the Latitude Zero Excursion Toro I’m enjoying now, and I’d like to finish it with no distractions.
94
Diesel Heart of Darkness
Long overdue, but hashtag-ohsoworthit.
Boss-man has been telling me to write a review for a year. It’s been on my back burner for equally as long. Then we received lovely news from the FDA about 88 days ago. Priorities changed, but boss-man has still been riding me. Over the past 88 days, we’ve worked like mad, creating new products with everybody under the sun. From AJ Fernandez to Davidoff. Perdomo to Rocky Patel. Alec Bradley to Quesada. Even the big boys – Cohiba, Montecristo, Macanudo, Romeo, etc. – joined in on our fun 88-day journey. It’s been insane and, despite the reason and the end result, it’s been a ton of fun cranking out delicious new products you’re gonna love for years to come. If you are clueless about the FDA’s intrusion on our peaceful little industry, please read up. There’s too much to get into here. Either way, the FDA deadline is today and CI did what CI does: work. Work for you. Sleep peacefully knowing CI didn’t rest in preparation for today...and we made damn sure you have plenty of new cigars to enjoy for years to come. Hell, decades. Naturally, at CI-esque prices.
Boss-man has been telling me to write a review for a year. It’s been on my back burner for equally as long. Then we received lovely news from the FDA about 88 days ago. Priorities changed, but boss-man has still been riding me. Over the past 88 days, we’ve worked like mad, creating new products with everybody under the sun. From AJ Fernandez to Davidoff. Perdomo to Rocky Patel. Alec Bradley to Quesada. Even the big boys – Cohiba, Montecristo, Macanudo, Romeo, etc. – joined in on our fun 88-day journey. It’s been insane and, despite the reason and the end result, it’s been a ton of fun cranking out delicious new products you’re gonna love for years to come. If you are clueless about the FDA’s intrusion on our peaceful little industry, please read up. There’s too much to get into here. Either way, the FDA deadline is today and CI did what CI does: work. Work for you. Sleep peacefully knowing CI didn’t rest in preparation for today...and we made damn sure you have plenty of new cigars to enjoy for years to come. Hell, decades. Naturally, at CI-esque prices.
Now, boss-man, here is my review. A long overdue review on a cigar I’ve been burning through into the wee hours of every night during the past 88 days. Diesel Heart of Darkness.
As you know, I’m a Diesel geek. Eveyrthing AJ makes inside a Diesel band is delicious from start to finish. Big, booming flavors and a satisfying steel-like backbone to match. Heart of Darkness is no different. In fact, it takes the Diesel name, and AJ’s blending prowess, to bold new heights.
As you also know, every Diesel ‘name’ has a reason behind it. A raison d’etre, if you will. So what’s Heart of Darkness mean? Grab one – I recommend a box – and look at the foot. Sniff it. See those dark Nicaraguan tobaccos? This baby is ligero-laced, my friend, and you’re gonna taste it and feel it throughout the entire burn. Rich black tobaccos from the black, fertile soils of Nicaragua. Perfectly fermented and aged just enough to eliminate the bite. That’s the ‘heart of darkness, inside a beautiful Habano-seed wrapper ripened to a dark, oily, Oscuro form.
On to the experience. You’ve heard the term flavor-bomb before. Hell, you may have used it. Well, you may now use it appropriately. If Diesel Heart of Darkness were a person, he would put baby in a corner. He would give love a bad name. Instead, Heart of Darkness is a perfectly blended combination of superior tobaccos loaded with flavor and power, and it’s ready to blanket your unsuspecting palate with complexity and charisma. Throughout the slow burn I pick up ample hints of espresso bean – kinda like chewing on freshly roasted beans...a little bitter but so damn delicious. A subtle sweetness from the thick Habano wrapper complements this bitterness nicely, just before pepper o’ Nicaragua enters the fray with each puff. The pepper is far from overwhelming; it’s more like a dash of freshly cracked black pepper. Quick, and lingering on the finish just enough to remind you there’s some ligero (well, a lot of ligero) inside. The bouquet evolves during the burn, dishing out touch of leather and toast, along with a good, rich, earthy tobacco note. Then, the aroma. With every puff, Heart of Darkness emits dense, heavy clouds loaded with delicious scents. Charcoal, rich tobacco, and even leather will be noticed from overhead. Lots of goodness, ready to be released by this one, while soothing the palate and the belly from the get-go. And for this reason, I’ve been burning through Heart of Darkness almost every night. It has been necessary...and rewarding.
All that up there...that’s good news. A brutish handmade for one seeking the ultimate Diesel. Now for the great news. Diesel Heart of Darkness was originally slotted to be the latest in Diesel’s enjoyable list of limited edition one-size releases, alongside Wicked, Delirium, Crucible, etc. However, thanks to the infinite wisdom of the FDA, AJ decided to go all out, releasing an entire product line of sizes...all of which will come and go for years to come. Production will be spotty, but at least it won’t be gone forever.
95
Macanudo Inspirado Black
Macanudo is known for creating some of the best cigar blends on the market. High quality control, smooth flavors and mellow blends are what this classic Cuban brand is best known for. It is one of the most asked for cigar manufacturers in our retail locations. When Macanudo becomes inspired to create something new and unique, it is something that just needs to be experienced for yourself. Macanudos master blenders had a specific goal in mind: To create a powerful cigar with fantastic flavor that even the fuller bodied fans would love and crave.
Originally released in Europe in 2015, this addition to the Macanudo line is bold and full bodied, finally made it’s way to our side of the pond. The Macanudo Inspirado Black features a beautiful and dark Connecticut Habano Sun Grown wrapper harvested from the middle section of the tobacco plant from right here in the Connecticut River Valley, United States. Binder is a proprietary leaf to Scandinavian Tobacco Group, Vega Especial (also used on the company’s Cru Royal line) grown in Dominican Republic to show the complexity and richness of the blend. The long-leaf fillers feature Dominican Piloto Cubano, Dominican Olor, Nicaraguan Cuban-Seed, and Honduran Cuban-Seed. This masterly crafted cigar was rolled in General Cigar Dominicana – Santiago, Dominican Republic. This cigar is truly one of a kind and something that needs to be smoked and enjoyed while relaxing with your favorite beverage.
Taking a whiff of the Macanudo Inspirado before sparking it up gives scents of dried fruit and cream and the cold draw showcased notes of earth and a slight oaky tone. Upon igniting the cigar you will be greeted with wonderful notes of cocoa powder, wood, a nice earthiness, dried fruit, black cherry, and espresso. The retrohale enhances the experience by adding tones of red pepper nut, while enhancing the cocoa and cherry notes. The finish has lingering flavors of cinnamon and a creamy earthy flavor. An absolutely delicious cigar that will have you craving more.
The Macanudo Inspirado Black is available in 4 sizes and boxes of 20.
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Robusto - 5.0” x 50
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Toro - 5.7” x 52
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Gigante - 6.0” x 60
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Churchill - 7.0” x 50
90
Master Built?
Powerband is the newest addition to the Master Built Series from Camacho. There are two other cigars in that line: Triple Maduro and American Barrel Aged. Triple Maduro has been a crowd pleaser since the blend debuted. And I liked American Barrel Aged enough to review it last year, and give it a 90 point rating. Needless to say, Powerband had some big shoes to fill if it was going to live up to these two.
So what exactly are we dealing with here? Powerband is inspired by biker culture, and like all Camachos the presentation is on point. But I’m not here to collect fancy boxes, I’m here to light up some great cigars. So let’s pop open the hood on this sucker. We’re looking at a Habano 2000 Ecuador wrapper, a Mexican San Andres binder, and filler leaves from Nicaragua, Honduras, and three different regions of the Dominican Republic. That’s right, there’s 5 unique long-fillers at play.
The fine folks at Camacho tell me this one is made with a “proprietary bunching process that maximizes airflow for peak performance.” Honestly, I’m not sure if that actually affects the cigar at all. Don’t get me wrong, the draw and construction are spot-on. But I don’t think you’ll toast the foot of this and then say, “Wow, I really enjoy the thorough airflow allowed by the proprietary bunching process of the filler leaves!”… Unless that’s your thing, in which case, have at it.
Anyway, back to the cigar. There’s a great amount of flavor at play here. I went with the 6” x 50 Toro for this review, and was greeted with earthy notes and a spicy core at the start. As the cigar burnt, it progressed into a sweetness joined the mix that had me reaching for a nice stout to pair up with this handmade. If I have to make a complaint, I’ll echo what I said in my ABA review: the price here isn’t great. It’s worth the money, but probably a bit too rich to be in my humidor all the time. As an occasional treat, the Powerband is well worth the 5-Pack purchase, and I think it fits right in with the other Master Built offerings.
90
CAO...at it again.
More and more today, new cigar releases seem to be hyping up some sort of gimmick or “uniqueness” factor. Some work, some don’t, and it’s nice to see the industry moving forward in different ways. But most nights, when I’m looking for a cigar to unwind with after a long day, I don’t want something flashy. I want something simple and elegant. Enter CAO Pilon, a cigar that’s been one of my post-work go-tos since it was released in late 2015.
I’m sure many of you are familiar with CAO, but if you have a second, check out their portfolio again, and just count all of the fantastic cigars that they’re behind. This brand is chock full of 90+ ratings (including the cigar at hand today), and I’m expecting that list will keep growing in the future. Pilon was released under their “Classic” line, which also includes the fantastic CAO Gold, Maduro, and Cameroon.
So where does the name Pilon come from? It’s a purposefully stacked layer of leaves, meant to ferment the tobacco. This style of fermentation dates back to Havana, Cuba in the 1800’s. It’s a traditional approach that takes slightly longer than typical fermentation, but that delivers a flavor that is rich, bold, and as the line suggests, classic.
Before we dive into the flavor of these sticks, let’s quickly go over the presentation. For my money, it’s unbeatable. The box is simple, the band gives you all the information on the blend that you need (why don’t more cigars do this?), and the text on the front tells you all about the Pilon story. Inside the box, you’ll find 20 perfectly rolled Nicaraguan gems. The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper is slightly oily, and really compliments the Nicaraguan fillers and binder.
The result of this blend is a medium-bodied mix of spice, earth, cedar, leather, and a natural nuttiness. The cigar grows in strength as you burn it, and by the end, it certainly has a bit more kick, without being overwhelming. This is a perfect companion to a glass of rum after a great dinner. The balance of this cigar makes me confident recommending it to anyone, and as of now, I’m making sure I always have a few of these on hand. It just goes to show you — trends come and go, but passion and talent are timeless.
92